Tractor wheel



H. G. HOWARD. TRACTOR WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I4, 1920.

.,424,0958L Patented July 25, 1922*.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNEM weather.

imrrsi) sTArssrTENT OFFICE.

refinar G. HOWARD, or GREENWIOH, NEW YORK.

TRACTOR WHEEL. l

vTov all who/m, t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, HARRY Gr. HOWARD,

and State of New York, have invented ynew and useful Improvements in Tractor Vheels, ofwhich thefollowing is a specication.. v l

This invention relates to improvements in tractor'wheels and one of the principal objects of the invention is to provide a device of this nature with improved tread mechanism which maybe easily adapted to any widthof tire.

Another object is to provide a device of this nature in which twor of the tread faces are always on the ground.

Another object isl to provide means for en` closingthe working parts in such a device and'protecting the same from the dirt-and Another' object isv toprovidey a device 'whichshall eliminate the elaborate and eX- pensive oiling systems now necessary.

Another object is to provide a device which will automatically adjust itself to unevennesses. in the ground over which it is traveling.

Another object is to provide an efficient device of this nature'which shall -be of comparatively lightf weight.

`Another object is to provide a device of this nature with treads so mounted as to be able to accommodate themselves to the inclined faces of rough ground.

Another object is to provide a device which shall be simple of construction, cheap to manufacture and effective forthe purpose for which it is designed.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims; and all of these objects are attained by the mechanism shown in the accompanying drawing comprising one sheet, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my improved tractor wheel with parts broken away for the sake of clearness. n

Figure 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of one of the treads and the immediate connections.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line of one of the tread pivot bolts.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view of the wheel showing the arrangement of the guide castings.

v y Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed July as, ieee.

' application inea september 14, 1920. Yserial No. 410,139.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts in all views.

This invention contemplates the provision of a tractor wheelV which shall comprise a plurality of tread members each pivotally mountedk at the ends of oppositely directed arcuateslides, said slides mounted in housings inside the rim of the `wheel and protected in the first instance by side plateson the wheels and in the second place 'by leather or other flexible sleeves surrounding the exposed portions of the slides.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents the rim of 'my improved tractor wheel, and 2 represents a plurality of arcuate guide castings which are secured to the rim 1 by bolts 3 or in any-other desired manner. Each of the `members'2 is provided with a slot 4:', these slots facing alternately vtoward opposite sides ofthe wheel. face `of one of they members r2.l f There 5 are two sets of these castings,fone set at each side 'of the wheel.y However, rif desired, all of the castings of each set may be cast in a single piece. 1

Mounted in each of the slots 4: is a respective arcuate slide 5, ythe adjacent ends'of two adjacent `members 5 of either set,`being side by side and vadapted to be secured together.

l by means oflinks 6 which pass across the bers 2 by bolts 7. Adjacent ends of the slides pass through slots 8 in the yrim 1. It will thus be seen that the adjacent ends of four slides project through the rim in such relationship with each other that they may be secured together by a single bolt 9.

But the bolt 9, not only passes through the four ends of the slides, but also acts as a pivot for securing a tread member 10 in place. This tread member 10 is provided on its outer face with a lug or ridge 11 foi` assisting in obtaining va firm gripping action of the tread. On its under side, each tread is provided with four bosses 12 which are arranged in pairs and each pair is adapted to receive the adjacent ends of two slides 5 between the bosses of the pair. The bolt 9 passes through all four of the bosses 12 and through four slides 5, as seen in Figure 8. The two inner bosses 12 are provided with inwardly extending lugs 13 through which the bolt 9 passes and through these bosses and the bolt 9 are thrust cotter Each slot e isformed in a 'verticalv The slides 5 are held in the yslots i pins 14; to prevent the displacing ot the bolt.

I have described one tread and its connected slides, but it is to be understood that there are a plurality of these treads all of Which are constructed and mounted in the Stme HIQJDDQF.

The slides inside the rim are protected from dust and dirt by shields or disks 15 which enclose the entire area inside the rim and Which may be provided with apertures 4,16 for the passage of the Wheel axle.

In order to protect the Working parts of the slides Where they protrude beyond the iim 1, sleeves 17 of leather or any flexible material are provided, one sleeve for each of the tread members 10. Each sleeve is se cured to the tread member atits outer end by being clamped between the tread and a member 18 which is of washer formation and adapted to tit against the entire edge ot the sleeve 17. Bolts 19 secure the member 18 in place on the tread member 10. The lower margin of the sleeve 17 is secured to the rim 1 adjacent to the openings 8 by a member 2O similar to the member 19 and clamped in place by bolts 21 passing through the rim 1.

It will be understood that in operation the Wheel when rotating Will always keep at least tivo of the tread members 10 in Contact With the ground and that any unevenness in the ground Will be readily compensated for by the movement or' the slides 5 in their sheaves 2. j

lVhile I have described what I deem to be the most desirable embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many of the details may be varied Without in any Way departing from the spirit of my invention; and I therefore do not limit myself to the exactdetails of constructionherein set forth nor to anything less than the Whole of my invention limited only by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure Aby Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rim, a plurality of series of arcuate members slidably mounted in said rim, a plurality of tread members each pivotally secured to a 'plurality of said arcuate members, and arcuate housings for said arcuate members.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rim, a housing secured to said rim, an arcuate member mounted in said housing "and adapted to project through said rim, a tread member pivotally secured to said arcuate member, and a flexible sleeve secured to said rim and to said tread member for protecting the projecting portion of said arcuate member.

3. In a device of the class described, the r combination of a rim, a plurality of arcuate housings mounted on said rim, an arcuate member slidably mounted in each of said housingsr and projected from said rim, a tread member pivotally secured to each of said arcuate members, a flexible sleeve secured at opposite ends to said rim and said tread member for protecting the projecting portion of said arcuate members, and means 'for securing said sleeves in place.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a rim7 a plurality of arcuate housings mounted on said rim, a plurality of slides mounted in said housings, -a plurality of tread members each secured to a plurality of said slide members, and means for securing said slide members in said housings.v

In testimony whereof I have afxed my signature.

HARRY G. HOWARD. 

